MIAMI, Fla. (WPLG/CNN) – An American journalist who says he was detained by Venezuelan authorities is safely back in the U.S.
Cody Weddle arrived at Miami’s airport Thursday afternoon. He lived in Venezuela for nearly five years, reporting for south Florida’s WPLG and other news outlets.
Weddle says Venezuelan agents covered his face with a ski mask and questioned him for more than 10 hours on Wednesday. He said they accused him of espionage, treason and removing military artifacts.
Weddle said, “They were very interested if I had spoken with people in the military and several times they actually said, ‘Who are the five military generals who you spoke to?’ And I didn’t do a story speaking to five military generals so I don’t know where they got that information but evidently they thought I’d done a story speaking to five military generals.”
Weddle said Venezuelan officials informed him he was being deported to the U.S.
He was taken to Simon Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetia, taken into the custody of Venezuelan immigration officials and flown to Miami.
Weddle is the latest in a string of foreign journalists taken into custody in Venezuela.
It comes as international pressure grows for President Nicolas Maduro to give up power to self-declared interim President Juan Guaido.
Guaido has been recognized by western countries and regional neighbors as Venezuela’s legitimate leader.
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.